Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 1.djvu/136



The extensive tract comprised between the Bahr-el-Jebel and the Bahr-el-Arab, although clearly characterised by its ramifying waters, has no general geographical designation, and is known only by the names of the tribes occupying its various sections. Politically the western portion is known as the province of the Bahr-el-Ghazal, a name which should properly be restricted to the basin of this affluent of the Nile. The whole territory might be collectively called the "fluvial region," for here are concentrated all the western affluents of the Nile north of Lake Albert. Its total area may be estimated at about 140,000 square miles, and its mean altitude at 2,500 feet above the sea. The soil being composed of disintegrated granite mingled with fluvial alluvia and humus, is extremely fertile. Vast tracts are covered with a red earth overlying soft iron ores, which combining with the sediment and decayed vegetation washed down by the streams, is also very productive. But where the ferruginous deposit lies too near the surface,

large plants are unable to strike deep root, and even after the rains little is seen except a scant herbage. Elsewhere the soil yields heavy crops, while its spontaneous growths comprise many species of great economic value. Such are the ruhm (criodendron anfractuosum), a large cotton-plant, and the lulu (butyrospermum Parkii), whose fruit contains much oil and butter. Other plants supply several varieties of caoutchouc; and here and there is met the higlik, or "elephant-tree," (balanites Ægyptiaca), under which pits are often dug to capture the huge pachyderms, who greedily devour the foliage of this plant.

The elephant still abounds in this region, although from five thousand to six thousand are said to be taken every year. The species of antelopes have been estimated at a hundred (?), and some large apes, supposed by Felkin to be chimpanzees, are much dreaded by the natives. Some hundreds of these bimanes attacked the station of Gaba Shambé on the Nile, and destroyed several houses, a fire completing the ruin of the depôts. On the other hand, neither the horses, asses, mules, camels, nor the pack-oxen of the Baggara Arabs survive more than a